THIEVES SECURE HAUL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19301, 30 September 1932, Page 9

THIEVES SECURE HAUL

DAYLIGHT ROBBERY IN SYDNEY CAREFULLY ARRANGED COUP United Press Association—By Blectrio Telegraph—Copyright (Received September 29. 7.10 pjn.) SYDNEY, September 29. While Frances Seckold, postmaster at the William Street Post Office, was carrying a bag containing £530 to a neighbouring office for the payment of old age and invalid pensions, robbers secured the money by an apparently carefully-arranged coup. Mr Seckold was accompanied by his assistant, Mr Alfred Johnson, who was armed. When the pair had gone a hundred yards through the crowded thoroughfare, two men dressed in overalls, pretending to work as cleaners, threw the contents of a bucket of liquid in the postal men's faces, who were blinded and choking, apparently from fumes of some sort. Johnson was knocked down and disarmed. and then Seckold was felled, his bag seized, and the attackers made off. The man carrying the bag collided with a motor-car and fell to the ground, but recovered himself and eluded his pursuers in the hurrying traffic. He rushed through a shop into a nearby street, and escaped in a car that apparently had been waiting in readiness. A similar robbery took place last December, when the same officials were held up, pepper being thrown in their faces, and £9OO was taken. After a shot had been fired at Seckold the robbers escaped, and were never captured.